Since the last GP, it has been mentioned several times how nice it is to see three British riders in the Top 8, and it would be nice to see them stay there. Taking mid-September as a good time (usually around the time of the World Final), let's look at how many times that has happened in the final standings.
For a start, it hasn't happened since 1993! You will also notice that there was a lengthy period between 1956 and 1975 where we couldn't manage three in the Top 8.
The most we've had in the Top 8 was six (in 1949), although to be fair, no fewer than TEN of the World Finalists were British! There were also ten home riders in 1937, 1938, 1950, 1951, and 1952, and we achieved the feat of at least three on each of those occasions.
Jack Parker and Split Waterman were involved in this feat four times, while Bill Kitchen, Freddie Williams, Peter Collins, and Dave Jessup have three each
1993 - Chris Louis (3), Andy Smith (5), Gary Havelock (6)
1989 - Simon Wigg (2), Jeremy Doncaster (3), Kelvin Tatum (5), Andy Smith (8)
1982 - Les Collins (2), Kenny Carter (5), Dave Jessup (6)
1980 - Michael Lee (1), Dave Jessup (2), John Davis (6), Peter Collins (7)
1978 - Gordon Kennett (2), Dave Jessup (4), Malcolm Simmons (6), Michael Lee (7)
1976 - Peter Collins (1), Malcolm Simmons (2), John Louis (6), Doug Wyer (7)
1975 - John Louis (3), Peter Collins (5), Malcolm Simmons (7)
1956 - Arthur Forrest (3), Peter Craven (4), Ken McKinlay (5), Brian Crutcher (8)
1954 - Brian Crutcher (2), Split Waterman (5), Eddie Rigg (7), Fred Brand (8)
1953 - Freddie Williams (1), Split Waterman (2), Jeff Lloyd (7), Arthur Forrest (8)
1952 - Freddie Williams (2), Bob Oakley (3), Dick Bradley (7), Jeff Lloyd (8)
1951 - Split Waterman (2), Jack Parker (4), Louis Lawson (6), Eddie Rigg (7)
1950 - Freddie Williams (1), Wally Green (2), Tommy Price (5), Jack Parker (6), Split Waterman (7)
1949 - Tommy Price (1), Jack Parker (2), Louis Lawson (3), Norman Parker (4), Bill Kitchen (6), Ron Clarke (7)
1938 - Bill Kitchen (5), Alec Statham (7), Eric Langton (8)
1937 - Jack Parker (4), Ginger Lees (5), Frank Charles (6), Bill Kitchen (8)
1936 - Eric Langton (2), Frank Charles (5), Jack Ormston (7)